Michigan votes YES to legalize recreational marijuana

Michigan votes YES to legalize recreational marijuana with taxes from sales going to fund schools, roads and local governments, making it the 10th state to say yes to the cash crop

Michigan is now the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana as voters said yes to Prop 1 during their midterms Tuesday

The taxes from sales will help fund schools, roads and FDA-approved research on the medical benefits of cannabis for military veterans struggling with PTSD

Adults 21 and older will be able to purchase, possess and use cannabis

Additionally people can now legally grow up to 12 plants for personal use and up to 10 ounces can be kept at a place of residence

Businesses looking to sell cannabis will need to be licensed with the state

Last month Canada federally legalized cannabis after several cities legalized it

By

Jessica Finn For Dailymail.com

Published:
07:05 GMT, 7 November 2018

| Updated:
12:44 GMT, 7 November 2018

Michigan midterm voters have followed the precedent set by nine other states already legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

The cash crop is expected to bring in enormous revenue for Michigan with marijuana and edibles subjected to a 10 per cent tax in addition to the state’s regular six per cent sales tax.

Those funds will be a boon to help fund schools, roads, local governments and FDA-approved research on the medical benefits of cannabis for military veterans struggling with PTSD and other conditions.

Michigan state officials showed the measure passed with 58 to 42 per cent with 55 per cent reporting, according to BuzzFeed.

Michigan voters said yes to Prop 1 which legalized recreational sale and use of marijuana

Residence are now allowed grow up to 12 plants and have up to 10 ounces in their homes

Michigan’s Prop 1 now allows adults 21 and older to purchase, possess and use cannabis.

Additionally people can now legally grow up to 12 plants for personal use and up to 10 ounces can be kept at a place of residence.

Just like the states that legalized before Michigan, businesses looking to operate dispensaries and the like will have to be state licensed marijuana.

On the other hand, North Dakota voters nixed their proposal, Measure 3. There were some potential pitfalls with the drafting of the measure, which lacked any provisions to regulate the marijuana industry in the state.

The voted down measure would have wiped away criminal penalties for possessing, growing, and selling marijuana, with the exception of selling to people under 21.

It also failed to impose a structure to license farmers or stores.

‘The victory in Michigan highlights just how widespread support is for marijuana policy reform, Steve Hawkins, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project told Forbes.

Businesses looking to get in on the green action will have to be licensed by the state

‘This issue does not only enjoy strong support on the coasts, but also in the Midwest and all throughout the country. ‘

‘Marijuana has now been legalized for adult use in one out of every five states and medical use in three out of every five, so it is safe to say federal law is in need of an update,’ Hawkins added.

Canada took the cash crop to federally legal status last month after several cities had legalized it first.

A Gallup poll released last month found that 66 percent of Americans, the highest level ever in the firm’s nearly 50 years of surveys on the topic, support marijuana legalization.

Thus far California, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, D.C., Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and now Michigan have, or are in the process of implementing their own recreational marijuana programs.